The holders will play the opening Group B match as the tournament officially gets underway at the Palais des Sports Salamatou Maïga in Mali.

Senegal’s team contains eight players from the squad which claimed the title two years ago in Cameroon, where they beat the hosts 81-66 in the final.

Four new faces will hoping to make an impact in the Senegal team.

The selection includes Ramata Daou, Oumoul Khairy Sarr, Sokhna Lycka Sy, Fatou Dieng, Ndeye Sene, Oumoul Khairy Thiam and Mame Diodio Diouf.

The team is completed by Aicha Sidibe, Astou Traore, Aminata Fall, Mame Marie Sy and Aya Traore.

"As the reigning African champion, we have to defend our title," Moustapha Gaye, Senegal head coach, said.

"We have to recognise that we won the title in 2015 after facing many adversities."

The second Group B match is due to see Mozambique take on Nigeria, before the Democratic Republic of Congo face Egypt in the late match.

Mali will hope to begin their Group A campaign in impressive style when they face Tunisia.

Their rivals Angola and Cameroon will clash later in the day, before the Ivory Coast meet the Central African Republic.

Round robin matches are scheduled tol take place until August 23, with the top four teams in each group advancing to the quarter-final stage.

Quarter-final matches will be held on August 25, with semi-finals then being held the following day.

The gold and bronze medal ties are then due to be contested on August 27.

The two finalists will secure places at the 2018 Women’s Basketball World Cup, which will take place in Spain.

Senegal and Angola have dominated the AfroBasket in recent years.

As well as winning two years ago, Senegal were also victorious in 2009.

Angola, meanwhile, won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2013.